Killer Kale Pasta. Killer New Song From The Colourist.

Three men on a boat had among them four cigarettes, but no way to light them.
So what did they do?
They threw one cigarette overboard, and the whole boat became a cigarette lighter.

Want a lighter pasta that doesn’t taste like it is?

Go for this Killer Kale Pasta.

It’s packed with vegetables and gets a kick from crushed red pepper. I left the chicken out, but I bet it would only make the dish more delicious. I think that roasted peppers in a jar are really good, so I used them here as a shortcut.

Killer Kale Pasta

Ingredients:

2 red bell peppers (I used roasted red peppers in a jar, which I sliced.)
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus extra for finishing
1/2 cup white wine
1 (28-ounce) can plus 1 (14-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes
2 large bunches kale (about 3 pounds)
4 cups coarsely shredded roasted chicken meat (I left this out)
1 cup chicken stock
1 pound rigatoni
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Rub the red bell peppers with olive oil and place directly over a direct flame to char on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove from the flame and place into a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to steam for about 10 minutes. Once cool to the touch, remove the steamed peppers from the bowl and pull off the charred skin, stem and seeds. Cut into slices and set aside until ready to use.

2. Set a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil and cook the garlic with the shallots, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the red pepper flakes and white wine. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Stir in the tomatoes and the roasted red peppers. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer.

3. Remove and discard the stems from the kale. Tear the leaves into bite-size pieces. Stir kale into the tomato sauce along with the chicken. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. If vegetables appear too dry add the chicken stock.

4. Simmer until the kale is tender and the sauce is thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and add to the Dutch oven with the finished sauce. Stir then cook over low heat until the pasta is desired doneness, about 2 to 3 minutes.

6. Serve the pasta topped with Parmesan and some additional red chili flakes.

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine